Process for joining several knitted fabrics on a flatbed knitting machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method of joining several knit parts on flat knitting machines. 
     In accordance with the invention several knit parts are produced in sequence or in different areas of the flat knitting machine simultaneously and subsequently joined to each other on differing needle beds by simple attachment knitting or other joining technique for joining loops. When producing two knit parts on a needle bed it is necessary to transfer one knit part to an auxiliary needle bed or a further needle bed and to laterally displace this needle bed so that the desired joining portions may be knitted to each other.

Hitherto, various possibilities existed for knitting three-dimensionalknits as used e.g. for seat covers. The best possibility consisted ofproducing cover parts and subsequently stitching the parts to eachother. This method has the disadvantage that the parts need to bestitched to each other after production which involves additional costs.

The object of the invention is to provide a method enabling athree-dimensional knit to be produced by as simple means as possible. Inaccordance with the invention two knit parts are knitted separately on aflat knitting machine and joined to each other at a point, preferably atan edge.

For this purpose the various possibilities in accordance with theinvention are available.

In a first embodiment of the invention a first knit part is knitted onthe flat knitting machine, The first knit part is knitted such that anedge for joining to another knit part remains hanging on the needles.Subsequently the second knit part is simply knitted in place in thejoining portion by the first course in the second knit part being joinedto the loops of the first knit part hanging on the needles, whereby onlythe needles in the joining portion of the two knit parts are activated,the remaining needles on which the first knit part hangs remaininginactive as long as they are joined to a further knit part.

In this way triangular, optionally rectangular, oval or ellipticalfashioning parts may be knitted into a knit. Knitting a knit part to theedge of another knit part necessitates as a rule only two knit parts.Working e.g. a triangular fashioning part into a knit necessitates as arule three knit parts, namely a first knit part, prior to knitting thefashioning part, then knitting the fashioning part and finally knittingthe third knit part to a second edge of the fashioning part and to thefirst knit part. The present method permits joining any number of knitparts in any shape to each other.

It even makes it possibile to join tubular structures to planar knits.For this purpose the planar knit part is knitted as the first knit part.The last course of loops in the planar knit part is joined in thejoining portion with the first course knitted on at least two needlebeds of the next knit part. Subsequently, the two plies are furtherknitted separately on both needle beds and rejoined to each other in alast course. In this way a tubular second knit part is knitted to aplanar first knit part. This technique may be put to use especially inthe production of anchorages, e.g. on car seat covers.

The techniques as cited above may be implemented, of course, in amulti-ply system, necessitating a corresponding number of needle beds inkeeping with the number of plies. The above method would require twoneedle beds for joining planar knit parts in two plies, whereas forjoining a planar knit part to a tubular knit part the method asdescribed would already necessitate four needle beds in the region of ofthe tubular knit part if the tubular knit were two-ply. Correspondingly,six or eight needle beds are needed for three or four plies.

A further method of the present invention necessitates at least oneactive needle bed and a further active needle bed, auxiliary needle bedor a comb. The first knit part is knitted on a first needle bed of themachine such that the edge for joining the second knit part hangs on theneedles after knitting. To this extent this method is the same as themethod as described above. Then, however, this knit part is transferredto another needle bed, auxiliary needle bed or a comb. If a comb isused, it may be guided out of the knit part e.g. by machine action so asnot to hinder removal of the knit when knitting the second knit part.This second knit part too, is knitted in such a way that in the end theloops hang on the needles which form the edge for joining the first knitpart. This knit part may also be hung by its start and finish loops tothe comb, after which it is joined as a tubular structure to the furtherknit part. Then, these loops hanging on the active needle bed are joinedto the displaced loops of the other needle bed, auxiliary needle bed orcomb. This may be achieved in various ways. In one way, the loops may berehung on the active needle bed and further knitted, or the loops may beknitted to each other on a needle bed without being transferred.

In this case too, joining multi-ply knits is possible, the number ofneedle beds required needing to equal either once or twice the number ofknit parts. Working with combs in this case becomes somewhat difficultbecause likewise several combs need to be provided in the outfeedportion of the knit which afterwards may need to be moved out of theknitting portion and returned back into the knitting portion.

A further method of producing a three-dimensional knit may be brieflytermed “drop knitting” or “offset knitting” in which the first knit partis knitted on first needles of a needle bed such that on completion ofknitting the edge for joining the second knit part hangs on the needles.These first needles may be e.g. the needles 1,3,5,7 etc, of the needlebed. Then, the second knit part is knitted on the second needles of theneedle bed, e.g. on the needles 2,4,8,10 etc. such that in the end theloops forming the edge for joining the first knit part likewise hang onthe needles. Then, the loops hanging on both needles can simply beknitted to each other, as a result of which the two knit parts arejoined to each other. Using this method even several knit parts may bejoined to each other. The first and second needles must not be formedalternatingly by every second needle of the needle bed, any needle pitchmay be used depending on the number of knit parts and depending on thedesired density of the fabric. For instance, the first needles may beformed by every first, fourth, seventh, tenth etc. needle, whilst thesecond needles are formed by every second, fifth, eleventh etc. needle.The third, sixth, ninth, twelth needles may be either not activated atall or reserved for a third knit part. In this way it is possible tojoin knit parts to each other, whose edges differ in length. Thus, e.g.the loops of the first knit part hang on the needles 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10etc. whilst the loops of the second knit part hang on the needles3,6,9,12, etc. In this way two loops each of the first knit part arejoined to one loop of the second knit part so that at the joining edgethe first knit part has twice as many loops as the second knit part.This is especially of advantage in the production of three-dimensionallyshaped parts consisting of several knit parts such as e.g. headrests.The density of the knit may be varied over the needle pitch. This methodis suitable especially in producing three-dimensional knits on flatknitting machine equipped with twin needles, the first needles thenbeing formed by the the A needles of the twin needle whilst the secondneedles are formed by the B needles thereof. For multi-ply knits thenumber of needle beds needs to correspond to the number of plies. Bythis method even four-ply knits may thus be produced in technicallyachievable ways and means when a four-needle bed machine is used.Likewise, tubular knit parts may be produced when the first and lastloop course of a knit part is knitted on all needles, whilst the coursesinbetween are knitted with only a single needle array, e.g. 1,3,5, etc.It is also possible to knit the knit parts knitted on both needle arraysin synchronism.

In yet a further method in accordance with the invention at least twoknit parts are knitted on one needle bed, i.e. the first knit part beingknitted in a first portion of the needle bed until it hangs on theneedles with the edge for joining the second knit part.

Then, the second knit part is knitted on a portion of the needle bedlaterally displaced from the first portion until this knit part too,hangs on the needles by its joining edge. Subsequently, at least one ofthe knit parts is transferred to a needle bed or auxiliary needle bedand in conclusion hung back correct to loop or, after displacement ofthe additional needle bed, is knitted with the loops of the other knitpart hanging on the other needle bed. This method may of course also beimplemented with multi-ply knits, this necessitating, however, twice asmany needle beds as knit plies since the transfer action requires aseparate needle bed for each ply of a knit part.

The following Figs. illustrate a few examples of various knit partswhich may be joined to each other by oom methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 1 shows a triangular fashioning part to be inserted between tworectangular knit parts,

FIG. 2 shows a rectangular knit part to be joined to a knit partconfigured in the form of a semi-circular disk, and

FIG. 3 shows three ellisoidal knit parts to be joined to each other asmay be used e.g. in producing spherical geometries.

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a first rectangular knitpart 10 which is knitted in the usual way from bottom to top. Afterknitting the first knit part 10 the loops of the edge 12 hang on theneedles of the needle bed. Then, a triangular fashioning part 14 isknitted to the edge 12 of the first knit part 10, the procedure in doingthis being as follows. In the first course of the fashioning part 14which is simultaneously the last course of the first knit part 12, onlythe first outer link of the fashioning part 14 on the left is joined tothe last outer link of the first knit part 10 on the left, the otherneedles of the needle bed along the edge 12 remaining inactive.Subsequently, in the next course the two or—depending on the staircasesteps—three loops of the fashioning part 14 are knitted, each of the twoor three outer needles on the left of the needle bed being activatedcorrespondingly. The remaining needles along the edge 12 continue toremain inactive. In the next course three or five needles are thenactivated etc. until in the end the widest location of the fashioningpart is reached. In this state the edge 16 of the fashioning part 14 istotally joined to the outer loops on the left of the edge 12 of thefirst knit part 10, the loops of the edge 18 of the fashioning part 14and adjoining on the right the loops of the edge 12 of the first knitpart 10 hanging on the needles. Then, over the full width a third knitpart 20 is joined with the loops of the edge 18 and 12 already in thefirst course. The third knit part is then knitted in the conventiionalway. It is in this way that in the joining portion between the first andthird knit part a bulged portion is generated by the fashioning part 14,this bulged portion resulting in a three-dimensional contouring of theknit. Of course, fashioning parts of any shape in any orientation may beinserted between knit parts. The fashioning parts to be inserted mayhave, for example, a horizontal edge or may also be irregular in shape.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated an example knit in which afirst knit part 30 in the form of a semi-circular disk is to be joinedto a second rectangular knit part 32. The special feature of thisexample is that the edges 34 and 36 to be connected to each othercomprise a differing number of loops. The edge 34 of the semi-circulardisk 30 is substantially longer than the edge 36 of the rectangularsecond knit part 32. This is why the first knit part 30 is first knittedon every second needle or on two each of three needles etc. in theknitting area of the needle bed until it is only the edge 34 thatremains hanging on the needles of the needle bed. Then, the second knitpart 32 is knitted with every needle in the knitting area so that thediffering number of loops may be adapted to each other in the joiningportion of the edges 34 and 36. Where a twin needle system is provided,the first knit part 30 may be knitted only with the A and B needles ofthe twin needles whilst the second knit part 32 would be knitted withall needles. In this way very simple one-part headrest covers may beproduced.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is illustrated an example embodimenthaving a first. second and third knit part 40, 42, 44, each of which isto be connected to the other in the region of their facing edges 46, 48.The procedure in this case is such that the first knit part 40 isknitted on the knitting machine until the loops of the top edge 48 ofthe first knit part 40 hang on the needles. Subsequently the second knitpart 42 is knitted, whereby knitting is first done with the middleneedles before then being done more and more with the outer needlesuntil in conclusion the bottom edge 46 of the second knit part istotally joined to the top edge 48 of the first knit part 40. Theprocedure for the third knit part is the same, which is joined to thesecond knit part 42 in the same way as the second knit part 42 is joinedto the first knit part 40. In this way an approximately spherical knitshape materializes which may be used as a premold for brake pressurecylinder.

The knit parts 40 to 44 may, of course, also be knitted juxtaposed onthe same needle bed until their top edge 48 hangs on the needles. Then,one knit part may be transferred to an auxiliary needle bed or a, moreparticularly movable, comb and hung on the loops of the other knit parthanging on the needles, permitting two knit parts e.g. 40 and 42 to bejoined to each other. This method has the advantage that both knit partsmay be produced in synchronism which speeds up the production procedure.Likewise, simultaneously knitting on several needle beds is, of course,possible, as a result of which also several knit parts may be joined toeach other. In the example as shown in FIG. 3 it would be necessary inknitting at least one knit part that the starting loops at the bottomedge 46 are hung onto a comb or an auxiliary needle bed so that theseloops may be subsequently joined to the loops of the top edge 48 of thethird knit part. Joining the starting course to the final courseachieves in turn a tubular structure.

The transition courses in the joining portion of two knit parts may bepreferably knitted of an elastic material so that inhomogeneities can beconcealed in this region.

The above example embdoiments were described relative to a single-plyknit. However, multi-ply knits may be produced by the same techniquewhen the flat knitting machine features the required number of needlebeds/combs.

Where technically possible, e.g. in knitting knit parts on differingneedle beds or pairs thereof the various knit parts are knitted insynchronism. When several knit parts are knitted on a single needle bed(pair thereof) knitting must be done successively, when required.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of creating a knit structure composed ofa planar first knit part and a tubular second knit part employing a flatknitting machine having at least two needle beds, comprising: knittingthe first knit part and leaving loops of at least one edge of the firstknit part hanging on needles of the knitting machine, and knitting afirst course of the second knit part utilizing the needles on which theloops of the edge of the first knit part are hung, whereby the secondknit part is joined to the first knit part, knitting subsequent coursesof the second knit part as separate plies using the two needle beds, andreknitting the separate plies to each other.
 2. A method of creating aknit structure composed of at least first and second multi-ply knitparts employing a flat knitting machine, comprising: knitting the firstknit part and leaving loops of at least one edge of the first knit parthanging on needles of the knitting machine, and knitting the second knitpart, wherein a first course of the second knit part is knit utilizingthe needles on which the loops of the edge of the first knit part arehung, whereby the second knit part is joined to the first knit part, andwherein the knitting machine has a number of needle beds equal to twotimes the number of plies of the second knit part.
 3. A method ofcreating a knit structure composed of a first knit part and a secondknit part employing a flat knitting machine, comprising: knitting thefirst knit part on a first portion of a needle bed of the knittingmachine and leaving loops of at least one edge of the first knit parthanging on needles of the first portion of the needle bed, knitting thesecond knit part on a second portion of the needle bed and leaving loopsof at least one edge of the second knit part hanging on needles of thesecond portion of the needle bed, removing one of the first and secondknit parts from its portion of the needle bed and transferring said oneknit part to the portion of the needle bed on which the loops of theother knit part are hung, and knitting the loops of the first and secondknit parts together, whereby the second knit part is joined to the firstknit part.
 4. A method according to claim 3, comprising transferringsaid one knit part from its portion of the needle bed to an auxiliaryneedle bed and then transferring said one knit part from the auxiliaryneedle bed to the portion of the needle bed on which the loops of saidother knit part are hung.
 5. A method of creating a knit structurecomposed of at least first and second knit parts employing a flatknitting machine having at least a first needle bed, comprising: (a)knitting the first knit part on the first needle bed, the first knitpart having loops of a joining edge hanging on the needles of the firstneedle bed, (b) either (i) transferring the first knit part to a comb oran auxiliary needle bed, or (ii) leaving the first knit part on thefirst needle bed, (c) subsequently knitting the second knit part on thefirst needle bed or the auxiliary needle bed and leaving loops of ajoining edge of the second knit part hanging on the needles of theneedle bed on which the second knit part is knit, and either hanging theloops of the joining edge of the first knit part and the loops of thejoining edge of the second knit part on the needles of the first needlebed or the auxiliary needle bed and knitting them together or knittingthe loops of the joining edge of the first knit part and the loops ofthe joining edge of the second knit part to each other using adouble-ply knitting technique.
 6. A method according to claim 5, whereinstep (b) comprises transferring the first knit part to a comb or anauxiliary needle bed and hanging the first knit part on the auxiliaryneedle bed or on the comb by its starting or final loops.
 7. A methodaccording to claim 5, wherein step (b) comprises transferring the firstknit part to a comb and the method further comprises removing the combfrom the knitting area after hanging the loops of the first knit partand returning the comb into the knitting area prior to joining the knitparts.
 8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the first and secondknit parts are multi-ply and the number of needle beds of the knittingmachine is equal to the number of knit parts multiplied by the number ofplies of the knit.
 9. A method according to claim 5, comprising knittingthe first knit part on a first portion of the first needle bed andknitting the second knit part on a second portion of the first needlebed.
 10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising removing oneof the first and second knit parts from its portion of the first needlebed and transferring said one knit part to the portion of the firstneedle bed on which the loops of the other knit part are hung, andknitting the loops of the first and second knit parts together.
 11. Amethod of creating a knit structure composed of first and secondmulti-ply knit parts on a flat knitting machine having a needle bed withfirst and second interspersed sets of needles, with at least one needleof the first set between two needles of the second set and at least oneneedle of the second set between two needles of the second set, saidmethod comprising: knitting the first knit part on the first set ofneedles such that a joining edge of the first knit part hangs on theneedles after knitting, deactivating the needles of the first set, whilethe needles of the first set remain inactive, knitting the second knitpart on the second set of needles such that a joining edge of the secondknit part hangs on the needles after knitting, and thereafter continuingknitting with the first and second sets of needles, and wherein thenumber of needle beds of the knitting machine is equal to the number ofknit parts multiplied by the number of plies of the knit.
 12. A methodof creating a knit structure on a flat knitting machine having a needlebed with first and second interspersed sets of needles, with at leastone needle of the first set between two needles of the second set and atleast one needle of the second set between two needles of the secondset, said method comprising: knitting a first knit part on the first setof needles such that a joining edge of the first knit part hangs on theneedles after knitting, deactivating the needles of the first set, whilethe needles of the first set remain inactive, knitting a second knitpart on the second set of needles in a first portion of the needle bedsuch that a joining edge of the second knit part hangs on the needlesafter knitting and knitting a third knit part on the second set ofneedles in a second portion of the needle bed such that a joining edgeof the third knit part hangs on the needles after knitting, andthereafter continuing knitting with the first and second sets ofneedles.
 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the needles of thesecond set in the first portion of the needle bed are interspersed withthe needles of the second set in the second portion of the needle bed.14. A method of creating a knit structure composed of first and secondknit parts on a twin-needle flat knitting machine having a needle bedwith first and second interspersed sets of needles, with at least oneneedle of the first set between two needles of the second set and atleast one needle of the second set between two needles of the secondset, said method comprising: knitting the first knit part on the firstset of needles such that a joining edge of the first knit part hangs onthe needles after knitting, deactivating the needles of the first set,while the needles of the first set remain inactive, knitting the secondknit part on the second set of needles such that a joining edge of thesecond knit part hangs on the needles after knitting, and thereaftercontinuing knitting with the first and second sets of needles, andwherein the first and second sets of needles are the A and B needles ofthe twin needle knitting machine.
 15. A method of creating a knitstructure on a flat knitting machine having a needle bed with first andsecond sets of needles, comprising: (a) knitting a first multi-ply knitpart on the first set of needles such that a joining edge of the firstknit part hangs on the needles after knitting, the joining edge of thefirst part having a first number of loops, (b) knitting a secondmulti-ply knit part on the second set of needles such that a joiningedge of the second knit part hangs on the needles after knitting, thejoining edge of the second part having a second number of loops,different from the first number of loops, and (c) knitting the joiningedges of the first and second knit parts together, and wherein thenumber of needles used in step (c) to knit the joining edge having thegreater number of loops is equal to the number of loops in the joiningedge having the smaller number of loops, and wherein the number ofneedle beds of the knitting machine is equal to two times the number ofplies of the knit.
 16. A method of creating a knit structure on a flatknitting machine having a needle bed with first and second sets ofneedles, comprising: (a) knitting a first knit part on the first set ofneedles in a first portion of the needle bed such that a joining edge ofthe first knit part hangs on the needles after knitting, the joiningedge of the first part having a first number of loops, (b) knitting asecond knit part on the second set of needles in a second portion of theneedle bed such that a joining edge of the second knit part hangs on theneedles after knitting, the joining edge of the second part having asecond number of loops, different from the first number of loops, and(c) knitting the joining edges of the first and second knit partstogether, and wherein the number of needles used in step (c) to knit thejoining edge having the greater number of loops is equal to the numberof loops in the joining edge having the smaller number of loops.
 17. Amethod of creating a knit structure on a flat knitting machine having aneedle bed with first and second sets of needles, with at least oneneedle of the first set between two needles of the second set and atleast one needle of the second set between two needles of the secondset, said method comprising: (a) knitting a first knit part on the firstset of needles such that a joining edge of the first knit part hangs onthe needles after knitting, the joining edge of the first part having afirst number of loops, (b) knitting a second knit part on the second setof needles such that a joining edge of the second knit part hangs on theneedles after knitting, the joining edge of the second part having asecond number of loops, different from the first number of loops, and(c) knitting the joining edges of the first and second knit partstogether, and wherein the number of needles used in step (c) to knit thejoining edge having the greater number of loops is equal to the numberof loops in the joining edge having the smaller number of loops, andwherein the needles of the first or second set are all the activeneedles of the needle bed.
 18. A method of creating a knit structure ona flat twin needle knitting machine having a needle bed with first andsecond sets of needles, comprising: (a) knitting a first knit part onthe first set of needles such that a joining edge of the first knit parthangs on the needles after knitting, the joining edge of the first parthaving a first number of loops, (b) knitting a second knit part on thesecond set of needles such that a joining edge of the second knit parthangs on the needles after knitting, the joining edge of the second parthaving a second number of loops, different from the first number ofloops, and (c) knitting the joining edges of the first and second knitparts together, and wherein the number of needles used in step (c) toknit the joining edge having the greater number of loops is equal to thenumber of loops in the joining edge having the smaller number of loops,and wherein the first and second sets of needles are the A and B needlesof the twin needle.
 19. A method of creating a knit structure composedof at least first and second multi-ply knit parts on a flat knittingmachine, comprising: (a) knitting the first knit part on a first portionof a first needle bed such that the joining edge of the first knit parthangs on the needles after knitting, (b) knitting the second knit parton a second portion of the needle bed such that a joining edge of thesecond knit part hangs on the needles after knitting, (c) after step(b), transferring loops of the first or second knit part to a furtherneedle bed which is parallel to the first needle bed, (d) displacing thefurther needle bed relative to the first needle bed in a longitudinaldirection of the needle beds, and (e) subsequently knitting the loops ofthe first and second knit parts to be joined either interlinked or toeach other, and wherein the number of needle beds of the knittingmachine is equal to the number of knit parts multiplied by the number ofplies of the knit.
 20. A method according to claim 19, comprisingperforming step (b) after step (a).
 21. A method according to claim 19,comprising performing steps (a) and (b) simultaneously.
 22. A methodaccording to claim 19, wherein the joining edge of the second knit partis a starting edge of the second knit part.
 23. A method according toclaim 22, wherein the joining edge of the second knit part is a finishedge of the second knit part.
 24. A method of creating a knit structureon a flat knitting machine having a needle bed with first and secondsets of needles, comprising: knitting a first knit part on the first setof needles in a first part of the needle bed such that a joining edge ofthe first knit part hangs on the needles after knitting, knitting asecond knit part on the second set of needles in a second part of theneedle bed such that a joining edge of the second knit part hangs on theneedles after knitting, and knitting the joining edges of the first andsecond knit parts together.